


What You Need

by BECandCall



Series: 350 [8]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adoribull - Freeform, Denial of Feelings, Dorian Pavus Has Issues, Feelings Realization, Guilt, Injury Recovery, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Poor Dorian, Protective The Iron Bull (Dragon Age), Sweet The Iron Bull (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:56:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23235832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BECandCall/pseuds/BECandCall
Summary: Dorian blames himself for the Inquisitor's recent injury, and his fear of intimacy could prevent him from accepting comfort when it's offered.
Relationships: Iron Bull/Dorian Pavus
Series: 350 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1251002
Kudos: 27





	What You Need

**Author's Note:**

> Done for a fic prompt: "Fear"

Theresa was sleeping peacefully when Dorian checked. Smiling, he shut the door, careful of the aging hinges. Heavy footsteps approached from behind, and he was unsurprised to hear Bull’s low voice.

“How’s she doing?” 

“Sleeping.”

“Good.” A hand rested on Dorian’s shoulder. “You should too. Stop beating yourself up.” 

“Someone should.” 

The hand squeezed, consoling and recriminatory. 

“Not your fault,” Bull repeated the mantra, no more acceptable to Dorian now than this morning. Now, however, Bull added, “Protecting her is supposed to be _my_ job.” 

Dorian should argue. He should have refreshed their barriers this morning too, but he’d been too arrogant to pull his attention from his victory over the Venatori. Too arrogant to notice the lurking varghest. Or the cliff’s edge. 

His stomach lurched, remembering the fall, the sulfuric pits below, the dawning horror of swiftly rising death. But his momentum halted. Turning wide-eyed, he saw his fear reflected in Bull’s face, his hand gripping him tightly. Behind them, Theresa screamed as the varghest struck, offended by their disturbance of its nest.

He didn’t ask why Bull saved him over Theresa; not because he knew the answer, but because he was afraid to. 

That hand now guided him down the hall, firm but gentle. “There’s room in my bed.” 

Dorian shrugged off his hand bitterly. “I’m not in the mood.” 

“I meant to sleep,” Bull huffed, offended. 

Dorian turned, lifting an incredulous eyebrow. “Suddenly you’re fine with just cuddling?” 

“If that’s what you want.” 

The response came easily, as if it were a normal thing for them. Physical intimacy had been their norm for some time, true, but emotional vulnerability was another matter. Normally, Dorian would obfuscate indifference. Normally, that kind of intimacy terrified him. 

“Fine.” 

He continued down the hall, stubborn enough to feign annoyance, but he didn’t protest Bull’s hand lowering to rest at the small of his back. Later, while they both laid beneath covers with limbs entwined, he didn’t hold back his sigh, didn’t care if it was from exasperation or contentment. 

No, it wasn’t what he wanted; but it was what he needed.


End file.
